Starwood Hotels & Resorts today announced the signing of two new hotels in Singapore, reflecting the local debut of The Luxury Collection and Tribute Portfolio brands. In partnership with boutique developers Harpreet and Satinder Garcha, the two distinctive properties – The Duxton Club, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Singapore and Hôtel Vagabond, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, Singapore – showcase Singapore’s rich heritage in repurposed heritage buildings in the Tanjong Pagar and Jalan Besar conservation districts respectively. After multi-million dollar renovations, both hotels celebrate their authenticity, preserving the past while offering guests uniquely compelling hospitality experiences.

“We are thrilled to be bringing The Luxury Collection and Tribute Portfolio brands to Singapore,” said Rajit Sukumaran, Senior Vice President, Acquisitions & Development, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Asia Pacific. “We are confident that these two distinct brands will make their mark on the country’s highly competitive hospitality market, and we’re proud to work with Harpreet and Satinder Garcha, who are passionate about design and adaptive-reuse heritage projects.”

Satinder Garcha, CEO of Garcha Hotels, said, “This partnership with Starwood will leverage our mutual strengths to re-create the charms of a bygone era; the adaptive reuse of such historic buildings by two of the world’s best designers, Anouska Hempel and Jacques Garcia, will offer guests an unforgettable boutique hotel experience while contributing to urban sustainability and preservation of our vibrant past.”

The Duxton Club, a Luxury Collection Hotel Singapore

In the picture: an artist impression portraying the lobby of The Duxton House at The Duxton Club, a Luxury Collection Hotel Singapore

The Duxton Club will reside in two pre-war colonial heritage buildings within walking distance of one another: The Duxton House on Duxton Road and The Duxton Terrace on Murray Street. Strategically situated in the Duxton area, the two buildings are adjacent to the developing Central Business District of Tanjong Pagar, and bordering the culturally rich Chinatown area. In recent years, the neighborhood has enjoyed a revival, emerging as one of the island’s most stylish leisure and dining epicenters. The Duxton House will open in early 2017, while The Duxton Terrace is slated to open in July 2017.

Originally constructed in the early 19th century as retail-residential units, TheDuxton House, features 50 guestrooms in eight adjoining three-story buildings. Under the strong design identity of Anouska Hempel, whose work spans hotels, restaurants, retail spaces and luxury residential projects, The Duxton House will be restored to its former glory with rich oriental influences. Once completed, the hotel will include an all-day dining destination restaurant, a signature bar and a private cigar room – all offering refined experiences for discerning guests.

Just 200 meters away with convenient access to the upscale establishments of Tras Street and Club Street, the 138-roomTheDuxton Terrace comprises fourteen adjoining three- and four-story colonial-era buildings. Completed in 1929, the structure likely served Chinese merchants before being converted to army barracks. Since the 1970s, the building was adapted for different purposes, from housing a hawker food alley and dining establishments to an office space. Its most recent renovation received the Architectural Heritage Award from the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

The Duxton Terrace will be restored by renowned architect and designer Jacques Garcia, whose work includes Hôtel Vagabond and the restoration of (and curated exhibitions within) Le Louvre and Château de Versailles. The hotel will house five captivating food and beverage venues including a destination bar, a lobby bar, an all-day dining restaurant, a poolside bar and an exclusive Member’s Club. Additional facilities will include a swimming pool, a fitness center and a cigar room. Guests of The Duxton Club will enjoy full use of the facilities at both premises.

Upon opening in 2017, The Duxton Club will join a glittering ensemble of 100 of the world’s finest hotels and resorts under The Luxury Collection brand, 25 of which are in Asia Pacific.

Hôtel Vagabond, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, Singapore

Located on Syed Alwi Road of the hip-and-upcoming enclave of Jalan Besar, just outside Singapore’s CBD, Hôtel Vagabond is a boutique property that displays the best of global art and independent design. A row of 1950 Art Deco shophouses, the 41-room property marks the first and only hotel in Asia to feature interiors by celebrated French designer, Jacques Garcia. A conversion project, the hotel’s design is a contemporary take on the opulent Parisian salons of yesteryear, spotlighting Garcia’s signature maximalist style while evoking elements of the neighborhood. Having opened in January 2016, Hôtel Vagabond is undergoing a rebranding exercise, and will be unveiled as a Tribute Portfolio hotel in October 2016.

Once the project is completed, the hotel will offer 41 rooms and suites, all with a Parisian-chic vibe. Each space will present plush bedding, Italian marble and glass mosaic bathrooms, and mahogany furniture. Curated photographs and art pieces in the rooms and common areas will range from antique works to dazzling contemporary mixed media pieces – many of which come from Satinder Garcha’s private collection. The works highlight a range of techniques and movements, celebrating the diversity of artistic expression across cultures and centuries.

Additionally, the hotel will feature Vagabond Salon, a modern interpretation of a Parisian salon with 5,000 square feet of versatile event space. Sporting luxurious interiors, superb acoustics and thick red velvet curtains, the salon will serve as a forum for the Artist in Residence program, the first to be hosted by a hotel in Singapore. Here, guests will have the opportunity to mingle with resident artists over a beautifully crafted cocktail, dine amidst a performance, watch an independent film, or listen to a live jazz quartet.

Hôtel Vagabond will join Starwood’s fastest growing brand Tribute Portfolio, a collection of independent hotels and resorts worldwide. Launched in 2015, Tribute Portfolio has gained its growth momentum across the globe with its conversion-friendly strategy, access to Starwood’s platforms and its award-winning loyalty program Starwood Preferred Guest® (SPG®).

“Hôtel Vagabond truly embraces the Tribute Portfolio brand’s ‘Stay Independent’ motto through its unique approach to design and its independent expression of art,” added Rajit. “Since the launch of Tribute Portfolio, the brand has experienced a fast take-off with accelerated growth – representing the growing global demand for independent hotel experiences, backed by the reliance of a global hospitality company such as Starwood.”